Voters approve all north country school budgets

May 16—Residents across the north country approved all 2023-24 school district budgets and multiple propositions in voting Tuesday.

In the Watertown City School District, voters approved a $92,067,925 spending plan for the coming year, a $9,084,856, or 10.9% increase over the $82,983,069 contained in the 2022-23 budget.

The proposed tax levy, or the amount to be raised from taxpayers, will rise 2.25%, from $17,117,785 in 2022-23 to $17,502,935 in the coming year, a $385,150 increase.

Voters in the district also elected three school board members. Jason B. Harrington (715 votes) and John A. Cain III (656 votes ) were elected to three-year board seats, while Milagros C. "Milly" Smith (567 votes) was elected to fill the remainder of a term that expires in June 2024. Her term starts today.

Voting results include:

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Alexandria: Budget $15,902,241 Yes 265 No 47

Proposition to establish a capital reserve fund Approved

Proposition to purchase two buses and a school vehicle Approved

Proposition to add $15,000 to library funding Approved

Christine Lingenfelter, Emily Chase and Christopher Symenow elected to three-year board seats

Belleville Henderson: Budget $12,371,405 Yes 153 No 65

Proposition to add $6,000 to library funding 179-38

Roger E. Eastman (189 votes) and Kristin Vaughn (185) elected to five-year board seats

Carthage: Budget $69,204,529 Yes 260 No 73

Proposition to establish a capital reserve fund Approved

Proposition for library funding Approved

Jonathan "JJ" Schell, Janice Gravely and Robert Wilson elected to three-year seats

General Brown: Budget $27,916,460 Yes 242 No 82

Proposition to purchase four buses 255-62

Jason Reynolds (268 votes) and Natalie Hurley (262) elected to three-year board seats

Indian River: Budget $98,260,644 Yes 133 No 19

Proposition for library funding 132-20

Shelly Eggleston (123 votes) and Thomas Lapp (129) elected to five-year board terms

LaFargeville: Budget $12,343,431 Approved

Proposition to establish a $3 million capital reserve fund Approved

Matthew Timerman elected to five-year board seat

Lyme: Budget $8,984,952 Yes 159 No 32

Proposition for library funding 153-37

Darrell DeMotta (154 votes) elected to five-year board seat

Sackets Harbor: Budget $9,959,784 Yes 123 No 22

Proposition to purchase one bus 125-19

Proposition for library funding 97-47

Cheryl Chaif (132 votes) elected to five-year board seat

South Jefferson: Budget $42,483,308 Yes 231 No 76

Proposition for the purchase of four buses 252-55

Proposition to add $10,000 to library funding 227-81

Carrie A. Mangino (155 votes) elected to five-year board seat

Thousand Islands: Budget $22,800,000 Yes 228 No 28

Proposition for library funding 216-40

Erin Churchill (243 votes), Timothy Wiley (237) and Brooke Roes (68) elected to board seats

Watertown: Budget $92,067,925 Yes 798 No 345

Proposition for $1.4 million capital improvement project 813-325

Jason B. Harrington (715 votes) and John A. Cain III (656) were elected to three-year board seats

Milagros C. "Milly" Smith (567 votes) was elected to fill the remainder of a term that expires in 2024 June

LEWIS COUNTY

Beaver River: Budget $20,825,068 Yes 469 No 225

Holly Aucter (369 votes) elected to board seat

Copenhagen: Budget $12,026,424 Yes 96 No 16

Proposition to transport Head Start pupils 103-7

Proposition to establish Energy Systems Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund 85-25

James Harter (65 votes) elected to five-year board seat

Harrisville: Budget $11,564,651 Yes 82 No 23

Proposition to purchase two buses 83-22

Denise Avallone (88 votes) and Heidi McIntosh (87 votes) elected to five-year board seats

Lowville Academy: Budget $30,147,792 Yes 916 No 297

Proposition to purchase three buses 960-260

Proposition to transport Head Start pupils 1,083-138

Stephanie Houser Fouse (675 votes), Steven Fuller (731 votes) and Cheyenne Steria (724 votes) elected to board seats

South Lewis: Budget $29,899,550 Yes 245 No 77

Proposition to purchase seven buses 235-86

Proposition to add $10,000 to library funding 246-75

Thomas Burmingham elected to board seat

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

Canton: Budget $37,160,000 Yes 355 No 94

Proposition to purchase three buses 347-74

Proposition for library funding 353-94

Daniel Thomas (301 votes), Esther Oey (286) and Catherine Devins (267) elected to board seats

Clifton-Fine: Budget $11,645,892, approved by voters

Colton-Pierrepont: Budget $12,233,012 Yes 159 No 41

$12 million capital project 164-34

Proposition to purchase a bus 178-22

Lorraine Gowing (179 votes), Chad VanBrocklin (167 votes) and Clint Perrigo (165 votes) elected to four-year board seats

Edwards-Knox: Budget $16,979,842 Yes 114 No 22

Proposition to purchase two buses 123-14

Heidi Stalker (114 votes) and Jamie Gibson (110 votes) elected to five-year board seats

Jennifer Benson-Baxter (107 votes) and John "Jack" Zeh (97 votes) elected to one-year seats

Gouverneur: Budget $43,635,420 Yes 208 No 116

Proposition to establish a transportation capital reserve fund 201-122

Brooke Bush (248 votes), David Fenlong (233 votes) and Todd Bates (184 votes) elected to three-year board seats

Hammond: Budget $9,523,247 Yes 74 No 17

Proposition to increase library funding by $3,000 79-12

Daniel Pease (69 votes) elected to five-year board seat and Sarah Perretta (74) votes elected to one-year seat

Heuvelton: Budget $16,459,180 Yes 133 No 27

Proposition to establish $6.5 million capital reserve fund 128-27

Proposition to elect student representative to board 132-24

Michael Macaulay (96 votes) elected to five-year seat and Jamie Lopez (72 votes) elected to one-year seat

Hermon-DeKalb: Budget $14,262,451 Yes 160 No 24

Proposition to purchase two buses 158-25

Proposition for $10,000 annual library funding 143-42

Michael Robinson (138 votes) and Ross Putman (136 votes) elected to five-year board seats

John Wright (105 votes) elected to two-year seat

Lisbon: Budget $17,249,863 Yes 145 No 138

Eric Walker (214 votes) elected to five-year seat

Madrid-Waddington: Budget $20,727,836 Yes 129 No 28

Proposition to purchase three buses 139-18

Proposition for $100,000 capital reserve fund for windows 143-13

Charles Grant and Katie Logan elected to five-year board seats

Massena: Budget $69,832,522 Yes 357 No 62

Proposition for creation of $9 million capital reserve fund 341-74

Zachary Monroe (301 votes) elected to five-year board seat and Joyce Giroux (298 votes) elected to three-year seat

Morristown: Budget $11,522,827 Yes 131 No 41

Proposition to add $3,118 library funding 119-52

Lisa Thompson (68 votes) elected to three-year board seat

Norwood-Norfolk: Budget $28,848,942 Yes 145 No 20

Proposition for $3 million capital reserve fund for buses 160-26

Proposition for $5 million capital reserve fund for buildings/grounds 162-23

Heaven Simons (138 votes), Amy LaCroix (141 votes) and Marela Fiacco (158 votes) elected to three-year board seats

Ogdensburg: Budget $55,261,205 Yes 189 No 43

Proposition for $3 million capital project at OFA 182-48

Pamela Luckie (212 votes) elected to five-year board seat

Parishville-Hopkinton: Budget $13,213,861 Yes 226 No 66

Christina Snell (199 votes) and Jared Remington (196 votes) elected to board

Potsdam: Budget $37,934,959 Yes 291 No 59

Proposition to purchase two buses 306-45

Keith Sapp (284 votes), Jarrod Davis (267 votes) and Enrico (Rick) Miller (71 votes) elected to board

St. Lawrence Central: Budget $29,821,563 Yes 165 No 22

Proposition for $4 million capital reserve fund for buses 146-41

Proposition to purchase three buses 156-31

Bethany St. Hilaire (156 votes) and Beth Todd (163 votes) elected to five-year board seats